ieve that he was
anxious for nothing but her happiness: that he was still, as always,
her most faithful friend.

Well; he could do no more. He had not the least expectation that his
letter would do any good; he did not even believe that it would reach
Iris. The money was received and paid over to her own account. There
was really no reason at all why she should place herself again in
communication with these lawyers. What would she do, then? One thing
only remained. With her guilty husband, this guilty woman must remain
in concealment for the rest of their days, or until death released her
of the man who was pretending to be dead. At the best, they might find
some place where there would be no chance of anybody ever finding them
who knew either of them before this wicked thing was done.

But could she know of the murder?

He remembered the instruction given to Fanny. She was to write to
Brussels. Let her therefore write at once. He would arrange what she
was to say. Under his dictation, therefore, Fanny wrote as follows:--

"My Lady,--I have received your ladyship's letter, and your kind gift
of ten pounds. I note your directions to write to you at Brussels, and
I obey them.

"Mr. Mountjoy, who has been ill and in Scotland, has come back to
London. He begs me to tell you that he has had an interview with your
lawyers, and has learned that you have been in town on business, the
nature of which he has also learned. He has left an important letter
for you at their office. They will forward it as soon as they learn
your address.

"Since I came back from Passy I have thought it prudent to set down in
writing an exact account of everything that happened there under my own
observation. Mr. Mountjoy has read my story, and thinks that I ought
without delay to send a copy of it to you. I therefore send you one, in
which I have left out all the names, and put in A, B, and C instead, by
his directions. He says that you will have no difficulty in filling up
the names.

"I remain, my dear Lady,

"Your ladyship's most obedient and humble servant,

"FANNY MERE."

This letter, with the document, was dispatched to Brussels that night.
And this is the trouble which Iris brought upon herself by answering
Fanny's advertisement.

CHAPTER LX

ON THE EVE OF A CHANGE

IRIS returned to Louvain by way of Paris. She had to settle up with the
doctor.

He obeyed her summons and called upon her at the hotel.

"Well, my lad